March 20, 2014

Canada: BC measles cases spread as cases refuse to isolate

Health officials in B.C. are warning students who live on campus at the University of the Fraser Valley and staff members who worked the recent Chilliwack Lions Club Music and Dance Festival that they may have been exposed to the measles virus.

Although officials have told people showing symptoms to isolate themselves for the 21-day incubation period and to then see a doctor, some with the virus have continued to expose others to it, from the Fraser Valley region to Burnaby, just east of Vancouver.

“We are disappointed that people who are showing symptoms of measles are not isolating themselves as requested by Fraser Health – and as a result other people in the community are being exposed to this infectious disease,” said Dr. Paul Van Buynder, chief medical health officer with Fraser Health.

“The most recent cases occurred in a public school student and a worker in a community retail outlet, thus exposing large numbers of the public during their infectious period,” Dr. Van Buynder said.

The University of the Fraser Valley has an overall student population of 15,000. The recent music and dance festival was held at the city’s Cultural Centre. Fraser Health has not released the name of the retail outlet, and hasn’t explained why just staff at the festival – and not members of the public who attended it – were targeted in the warning.

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Health officials in B.C. are warning students who live on campus at the University of the Fraser Valley and staff members who worked the recent Chilliwack Lions Club Music and Dance Festival that they may have been exposed to the measles virus.

Although officials have told people showing symptoms to isolate themselves for the 21-day incubation period and to then see a doctor, some with the virus have continued to expose others to it, from the Fraser Valley region to Burnaby, just east of Vancouver.

“We are disappointed that people who are showing symptoms of measles are not isolating themselves as requested by Fraser Health – and as a result other people in the community are being exposed to this infectious disease,” said Dr. Paul Van Buynder, chief medical health officer with Fraser Health.

“The most recent cases occurred in a public school student and a worker in a community retail outlet, thus exposing large numbers of the public during their infectious period,” Dr. Van Buynder said.

The University of the Fraser Valley has an overall student population of 15,000. The recent music and dance festival was held at the city’s Cultural Centre. Fraser Health has not released the name of the retail outlet, and hasn’t explained why just staff at the festival – and not members of the public who attended it – were targeted in the warning.